Resorts World Las Vegas tower is halfway finished
It took a while to get going, but the 3,400room Resorts World Las Vegas tower at center Strip is now more than halfway to being topped off, reaching floor 35 of 60.
Cranes are in action all over the sites. A spokesman for Genting Group, the resort’s developer, says there are currently 1,000 workers on the site daily and there will be several thousand by next summer. Originally scheduled to be completed in 2015, Resorts World is now expected to debut in 2020.
Strip bridge: Work is in progress on a new pedestrian bridge that will span the Strip between Park MGM and the Showcase Mall. The bridge, which will cost $17 million to build, is scheduled for completion next July. Between now and then, the Strip will be partially obstructed but never closed. It’s the 17th bridge over the Strip and the first to be built since 2012.
Britney’s back: Britney Spears’ second Las Vegas residency will be at Park MGM. Britney: Domination will kick off over Valentine’s Day weekend and run through August at the Park Theater. Spears will earn $500,000 per show, a guaranteed $16 million for the 32-performance schedule.
Aloha buffet: The Rampart Buffet has added an Aloha night, featuring chicken long rice, poke, kalbi, furikaki mahi, Alaea Hawaiian sea salt rubbed prime rib, Spam fries and char siu pork loin. It’s served on Wednesdays for $15.99, or $13.99 with a players card. The Rampart is on the far west side of town.
Fremont construction: The downtown Fremont will build a 32-story, 509-room hotel tower at the back of its property. There will also be a complete overhaul of the 447 rooms in the 15-story tower that opened in 1956. At the time it was the tallest in Nevada. The casino will increase by 22,000 square feet, including a new race and sports book, and the parking garage will be expanded. The entire project is expected to cost $32 million and take 30 months to complete. The construction start has not been announced.
$5 deals: The Downtown Grand is celebrating its fifth anniversary with $5 deals through Nov. 5. The best is a creative burger-and-drink offer in the Freedom Beat coffee shop from 5 p.m. to 5:55 p.m. During that time, an excellent burger and fries that usually sells for $12 is $5, and for 5 cents more you get a well drink,
Bloody Mary or beer flight. If you don’t want to deal with the hectic 55-minute scene, drinks and appetizers are $5 during all operating hours at Triple George across the street.
Donny and Marie done: The Donny & Marie Show will end its run at the Flamingo next November. The show opened at Flamingo in 2008 for what was planned to be a six-week engagement.
Question: Is it true that Tropicana is charging for parking?
Answer: Tropicana is charging non-guests for parking when events are taking place in the area, primarily at MGM Grand and the T-Mobile arena. The charge is $15, but it’s offset by a $10 food-and-drink voucher at Robert Irvine’s Public House restaurant. Parking remains free for non-guests at non-event times.
Q: I couldn’t find a Chinese restaurant open after midnight in Chinatown. Are there any?
A: Not as many as you’d expect. Only five restaurants serve past midnight. They are Harbor Palace Seafood (12:30 a.m.), Café Noodle & Chinese BBQ (2 a.m.), Joyful House (3 a.m.), Hong Kong Garden (6 a.m.) and H.K. Seafood Garden (6 a.m.). All are on Spring Mountain Road.